Helicopter flying machine



R. W. SMITH HELICOPTER FLYING MACHINE 3 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. l0.1923 f f 6 9 4. l P o Al ,2 Q# m ,4, n

3- Sheets-Sheet 2 m H1555? L.

R W SMITH HELICOPTER FLYING MACHINE Filed Jan. lOJ

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L'une 9, 19,25.`

June 9, 1925. 1,541,195

- R. W. SMITH HELI COPTER FLYING MACHINE Filed Jan. l0, 37923 3Sheets-Sheet 3- dune 9, 1925.

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ROY W'. SMITH, OI, MECHANICVILLE, NEW YORK.

HELCOPTER FLYNG REACH-INE.

Application filed January 10, 1923.

T all wwm t may cartelera.'

Be it known that I, ROY lV. SMITH, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Mechanicville, in the county of Saratoga and State of `NewYork, have invented certain new and useful .Improvements inHelicopterFlying Machines, of which the following is a specification. y

rlhis invention relates to helicopter flying machines of that classembodying a plane and elevating and propellingmeans.

The object of my invention is to combine the plane with elevating meansof the paddle wheel type in such manner that the air pressure above theplane will be relieved and the air pressure underneath the plane greatlyaugmented vso that ythe flying machine is, in effect, blown upwardlyfrom beneath and, only meeting with greatly decreased air pressureabove, rises easily to the desired height.

Suitable propelling means for driving the machine is employed. Y

Preferably, means will be employed to hold the paddle wheels instationary position, when they haver elevated the machine to the properheight for flying, to the end vthat certain of their blades or Yaneswill con stitute continuations of the plane while the 3i machine is inflight and thus augment the supporting effect ofthe plane.

To prevent injury to, or death of, the aviator due toy stalling of theengine when the machine is in flight, means are provided whereby theengine may be released so that it will fall by gravity tothe earth, p

completely free-of the machine, thereby enabling the machine to descendwithout any danger to the aviator.

The invention is susceptible of modication without departing from theessential principles thereof and the disclosure is to be considered asillustrative of the invention and not in limitation of its scope.

The invention may be embodied in a toy flying machine with, or without,employ ment of the engine releasing means.

In the accompanying drawings'.

Figure l is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 a plan view;

Fig. 3 an end elevation; and

Fig. d is a detail view.

rlhe frame l supports the curved plane 2, v which may be of any suitablematerial or 5 fabric, the propellers or elevating paddle wheels B, andthe engine or motor 4.

Serial No. 611,776'.

The frame 1 will be so constructed and proportioned that the engine ormotor l will be located sufficiently far below the pla-ne'2 toV insurestability of the machine when rising vand when in flight. y

The engine or motor 4 is-carried by a subframe or platform 5 which isreleasably connected to the frame l and controlled by suitable meanssuch, for instance, as a levert which may be operated if the enginestalls and thus release the engine or motor from frame l so that it willfall to the earth, after y which the machinevwill gradually descend, orparachute down, without injury to the aviator, thus entirely eliminatingwhat has heretofore been a serious menace in all types vof aeroplanesand flying machines.

The elevating paddle wheels 3 are arranged in pairs, each being composedof frames carrying suitable material or fabric and, in the presentembodiment thereof, the paddle wheels are secured to a shaft. 7, in eachinstance. The shaftsV 7 rotate in suitable bearings 8 carried byextensions of the frame l, the arrangement being such,v that the vanesof the paddle wheels rotate closely to, but do not touch,` the margins.of the plane 2, when said paddle wheels are revolving for the purpose ofelevating the machine. On the other hand, when themachine has ascendedsufficiently for horizontal flight, the paddle wheels may be locked sothat certain ones of their'vanes will constitute, in effect,continuations ofVv the plane 2, thus increasing he effective su-pportinglane area while the machine is in flight.

The shafts 7', and the paddle wheels 3, are driven from the engine ormotor t in such manner that said paddle wheels revolve in the directionindicated by the arrows, that is, one set of paddle wheels revolves in aclockwise direction and the other set in a counter-clockwise direction.rlhe effect of this operation is to draw the air away from the top ofthe plane 2 and to blow it under the plane 2. By decreasing the airpressure on top of the plane 2 and blowing the air against the. underside of said plane, the machine is, in effect, blown upwardly, resultingin adaptability to ascend whereas if the air pressure on top of theplane 2 was not relieved such ascent would not be obtainable.Furthermore, by providing elevating paddle wheels on both sides of themachine, the air pressure above the plane 2 is equally relieved over theentire area of said plane and tory to flight, the locking means vhasbeen attained for Hight.

the lair pressure is equally increased over the entire under-area of theplane. This results in an even elevation oi the machine and minimizestendency to tilt. y

I prefer to drive the shafts 7 from the engine or motor 4 by shafts 9and 10 having geared connections 11, 12, to the shafts 7 and gears 13,lll, operated by a gear 15,

y driven by the shaft of the engine.

A suitable clutch and lever 16 constitute means for coupling oruncoupling the gear 15 so that, the paddle wheels 3 may be driven orstopped. Suitable locking means 17 is employed for the purpose ot'locking the paddle wheels when stationary so that certain of their vaneswill be arranged as continuations ot the plane 2 and thus affordadditional plane area for sustaining the machine when in flight.

For the purpose ot propelling the machine, any suitable propelling meansmay be employed. There 1s shown a single propeller 18, and a leveroperated clutch 19 for rendering said propeller operative or inopeative.

Then the machine is to ascend, prepara- 17 will be released and thelever -16 operated to couple the gear 15so that when the engine isstarted the paddle wheels 3 will revolve in thedirections indicated bythe arrows. The machine will then ascend by reason of the relief of theair pressure above the plane 2 and the augmenting oi the air pressurebelow said plane. l/Vhen the machine is on the ground, the air will beblown against the ground as well as up against the under surface ot theplane 2, affording additional elevating power for the machine.Thereafter, the relief of the pressure above the plane 2 and increase ofthe pressure below the plane will, in

effect, blow the machine upwardly under stable conditions until theproper altitude The lever 16 will then be operated to uncouple thedrives to the paddle wheels 3 and said paddle wheels may then be lockedby the means 17 l'or the purpose liereinbet'oue described. The clutch 19having been thrown in, the engine turns the propeller 18 and the machinewill then fly.

I claim:

1. In a helicopter flying machine, the coinbination with a plane havingunobstructed opposite margins, ot elevating paddle wheels arrangedadjacent and beyond the said unobstructed opposite margins of saidplane, and means for revolving 'said paddle wheels in oppositedirections for the purposeY of relieving the air pressure above theplane and blowing air underneath the plane against its under surface.

2. In a helicopter flying machine, the coinbination with a planehavingunobstructed opposite margins, of elevating paddle wheels arranged torevolve on horizontal axes adjacent and beyond the said unobstructedopposite margins of said plane, and means for revolving said paddlewheels in opposite directions for the purpose ot relieving the airpressure above the plane and blowing air against the under surface ofsaid plane, said paddle wheels being adapted to be arranged so thatcertain of their vaines will constitute continuations ot the plane whensaid paddle wheels are stationary.

3. In a helicopter flying machine, the combination with a plane havingunobstructed opposite margins, of elevating paddle wheels arrangedadjacent and beyond the said unobstructed opposite margins ot saidplane, an engine or motor located below the plane, and drivingconnections from said engine or motor to said paddle wheels acting onthem centrally of their lengths and adapted for revolving the paddlewheels in opposite directions tor the purpose oi relieving' the airpressure'above the plane and blowing air underneath the plane againstits under surface.

In testimony whereotl I athx my signature.

ROY 7. SMITH.

